Amritsar
( Justice News)
Sikh thinker Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala has demanded a serious investigation into the suspicious role of Satinder Singh Kohli in the disappearance of 328 sacred saroops (holy volumes) and the possible involvement of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal behind Kohli’s open defiance of the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. He stated that Sukhbir Singh Badal must be summoned to Sri Akal Takht Sahib and held accountable so that the truth can come before the Sikh sangat.
Prof. Khiala emphasized that an impartial and comprehensive probe into Sukhbir Singh Badal’s role in the 328 saroops case has now become a panthic necessity. Summoning him to Sri Akal Takht Sahib is essential to restore the shaken trust of the Sikh community in panthic institutions.
He said the disappearance of 328 sacred saroops is not merely a case of administrative negligence, but an extremely sensitive and grave issue directly linked to the religious faith of the Sikh community. The continuous emergence of new facts has created deep and alarming doubts in the minds of the Sikh sangat.
The report of the Bhai Ishar Singh Inquiry Commission, appointed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, clearly establishes that the firm Satinder Singh Kohli & Associates, responsible for handling SGPC accounts, showed gross negligence. The report states that had an internal control system been implemented in time and the accounts been computerized, there would have been no discrepancies in the ledgers and no continuous increase or decrease in the number of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s sacred saroops since 2013–14. This negligence seriously damaged the credibility and reputation of the Shiromani Committee.
Based on this negligence and in accordance with the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the SGPC’s Executive Committee, through Resolution No. 466 dated 27 August 2020, immediately terminated all services of Satinder Singh Kohli & Firm and approved legal action to recover 75 percent—approximately ₹7.20 crore—out of the more than ₹9 crore already paid, as compensation for the loss caused.
Prof. Khiala stated that this was not the first time action was taken against Kohli’s firm. On 11 July 2014 as well, the SGPC Executive Committee had terminated his contract through Resolution No. 1542 on serious charges, including giving inadequate time to the office, disregarding decisions of the SGPC president and Executive Committee, unnecessary interference in administrative matters instead of focusing on accounts, and bringing disrepute to the institution. Shockingly, despite these serious allegations, he was reinstated after some time and continued to receive payments from Guru Ki Golak for a long period without performing his duties properly. On whose recommendation this reinstatement took place remains an unanswered question.
He further said that in August 2020, based on the Bhai Ishar Singh Commission report, 16 individuals were held guilty in the 328 saroops case, including Satinder Singh Kohli. As per the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, it was decided to recover 75 percent—about ₹7.20 crore—of the more than ₹9 crore received by Kohli. However, instead of returning the money, Kohli approached the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission, directly challenging the authority and orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The matter is still sub judice.
Prof. Khiala questioned why, despite blatant defiance of the clear orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the SGPC, no serious notice or strict panthic action has been taken against Kohli. Is this not a result of his political proximity to and patronage from Sukhbir Singh Badal?
He stated that it is no secret that Satinder Singh Kohli is considered close to Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and has been managing his business accounts as a chartered accountant. Moreover, Kohli is also the owner of Gurbaz Media Company, which holds the rights for Gurbani telecast via PTC in North America, while PTC itself is owned by Sukhbir Singh Badal. In such circumstances, granting Gurbani telecast rights from Sri Darbar Sahib to a media company owned by a person who has challenged the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, and his refusal to comply with those orders by approaching the courts, amounts to a direct challenge to the supreme authority of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Maintaining association with such a person is also a challenge to Akal Takht Sahib.
In conclusion, Prof. Khiala said that while the Bhai Ishar Singh Commission exposed negligence in the accounts of printing presses, it is still unclear why no serious investigation was ever conducted into the negligence of Satinder Singh Kohli & Firm in areas such as online accounting of Gurdwara Section 85, internal and pre-audit mechanisms, and monitoring of education funds and honorarium grants. Is this not solely because Kohli enjoys political patronage from Sukhbir Singh Badal?
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